It was Senior Day last Saturday at Spartan Stadium, as Sparty took on perennial Big 10/12 basement-dweller Indiana. Seventeen seniors appeared for the final time before the home crowd, as the players’ parents, friends, and loved ones also joined the festivities to acknowledge their contributions to the football program. Unfortunately for Indiana, a football game had to be played.

Spart jumped out to a 17-0 first quarter lead and rolled to a 55-3 victory, claiming the Old Brass Spittoon Trophy and Big 10/12 Legends division trophy as well. QB Kirk Cousins threw for 3 scores, and WR B.J. Cunningham had 2 TD catches. Sparty’s O nearly doubled Indiana’s in terms of total production, 470-236, as the MSU D dominated the Hoosiers alleged offense.

Today.

It will be a tricky one for the Spartans today, as they will take on a Northwestern team looking to solidify its bowl eligibility status with their 7th win. Northwestern is coming off a 28-13 home win over Minnesota, their fourth victory in a row after losing five straight. NU QB Dan Persa leads the attack, and he will certainly pose a challenge to Sparty’s D today.

Key Spartans:

QB Kirk Cousins: 2,521 YDS, 19 TD, 5 INT, 64 CMP%, 146.9 RAT

RB Le’Veon bell: 131 CAR, 708 YDS, 9 TD

WR B.J. Cunningham: 61 CAT, 1,005 YDS, 7 TD

Key Wildcats:

QB Dan Persa: 1918 YDS, 15 TD, 7 INT, 74.6 CMP%, 160.8 RAT

RB Jacob Schmidt: 88 CAR, 426 YDS, 6 TD

QB Kain Colter: 114 CAR, 571 YDS, 8 TD

WR Jeremy Ebert: 64 CAT, 986 YDS, 10 TD

Northwestern wants and probably needs a seventh win to get at least a decent bowl bid, if there is such a thing for a team with only seven wins. Sparty already has a spot in the Big 10/12 conference championship game locked up, and might be looking ahead to facing the winner of today’s Penn St./Wisconsin matchup. However, I don’t see a letdown for Sparty today. A 10th regular season win could do wonders for their confidence heading to Indy, and I’m sure Dantonio is more than aware of that.